Dear ICLRA members and friends,
As many of you know 2015-16 was not a good year for protection of our lakes, rivers and the wetlands that feed them. The Wisconsin legislature has made it easier to fill, pollute, and destroy these water resources circumventing Wisconsin’s historic public trust doctrine while appeasing developers, big agriculture and the real estate industry. For over a year ICLRA cooperated with the Iron County Planning and Zoning and Land and Water Conservation Departments to improve shoreland protection. To our dismay, the state government has negated these efforts by overriding all existing Wisconsin county shoreland zoning regulations, taking local control of these policies away from all of us.
Though decades of progress have been reversed, we haven’t surrendered. Please come to the ICLRA summer programs to learn how together we can work to regain those protections and continue to celebrate our greatest resources.
On Wednesday June 29th the first of three ICLRA summer programs will address these issues. Join us at the Pines Beer Garden in Mercer, at 6:00PM, when District 25 Wisconsin state senator Janet Bewley will discuss the loss of local control over our waters. Bob Martini, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, retired, will explain how the new laws effect shoreline protection. It is important for citizens to understand how the legislation enacted in the past five years influences not only protection of water and wildlife and fish habitat, but also the value of real estate. The presentations will be short enough to allow plenty of time for discussion.
ICLRA’s second program, Saturday, July 23rd at 9:00 AM at the Mercer Community Center will feature Zach Wilson, Iron County Land and Conservation specialist, and Sandy Wickman, WDNR, presenting information on resources for riparian owners. This presentation will precede our annual business meeting. At the third program, Zach will talk about the creatures, other than fish, that reside in and around our lakes at a location and date in August to be determined.
All ICLRA programs are free and open to the public, but because our lakes, rivers and wetlands need your support, please join the Iron County Lakes and Rivers Alliance either as a lake association or as an individual. It only costs $5/year. Become active in protecting our waters by attending our meetings as well as local and state government meetings and hearings. Write to your legislators and your governor.
To receive an ICLRA membership forms please email us at ironcountylakesandrivers@gmail.com
Don’t forget our annual Kid’s Free Fishing Day, now changed to Family Free Fishing Day, Saturday, June 4th at Lake of the Falls Park on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage at 10:00 AM. To help us prepare enough food, please register in advance. Please see the attached poster and go to www.ironcountylakesalliance.blogspot.com for more information. Hope to see you at the Pines on the 29th.
Best regards,
Bob Collins
President, Iron County Lakes and Rivers Alliance, Inc.